Chapter 10: A Logical Deception

As Collin and Ella made their way through the Town of Glenn, they quickly realized the advertisement that was otherwise known as the front entrance. The town made sure it would look magnificent for the nobles by siphoning the structural and social support funds from the rest of the town.

After a while, the cobble stone disappeared leaving behind a muddy dirt pathway, if it could even be called as such. The buildings they passed quickly became shoddy wooden structures, losing stories and size after every step they took. It seemed that if they continued on, the town would very closely resemble Borg village, just with slightly larger and definitely filthier shacks. The town began to lose its charm fast, allowing Collin to regain his focus on his mission.

"Where can we afford to sleep tonight?" Collin knew that he didn't have any money on him, so he had to leave the inn fee up to Ella. Though he wasn't sure how much she had on her.

"Uh … well, … There was a nice spot of cobble stone a little ways back."

I guess that means she doesn't have any money either, Collin thought slamming his palm into his face.

"Alright, leave this to me."

With a plan in mind, Collin led the two of them up and down the streets. It wasn't long before he found what he was looking for. He gave it a quick glance over and nodded before entering.

It was a detached store with a small warehouse out back. The inside was filled with a melting pot of items akin to a general store. From farm equipment and crafting tools, to food stuffs and herbs. Off in a corner were wound wraps and strange substances contained in small glass jars. There was even a pile of miscellaneous weapons strewn about.

In the center of the shop standing behind a small counter strewn with loose papers, was the shopkeeper, a thin man with his head down. He seemed quite worried.

"Evening sir, I was just curious if you heard the rumor going around," Collin asked. He grew more and more confident in his plan the more he looked around.

The man looked at Collin, half curious and half-annoyed.

"I heard some men saying they were planning to rob a certain shop's warehouse." This seemed to really get the shop keepers attention.

"They mention a cart being ready for them to escape just before sunrise. My good conscious just can't let something like that happen, so we have come to volunteer to guard your merchandise."

The shopkeeper gave Collin a long hard look, trying to determine if what he said was true or if he in fact was the aforementioned thief. He let out a sigh.

He had been robbed more than a handful of times in the past few months. Now his shop was struggling to keep its doors open. He decided to take Collin at his word. Hopefully, he would prevent another attack, but either way there wasn't much to lose.

"I appreciate the help," the shop keeper said as he tossed Collin the key to the warehouse.

"You're welcome. I would like to try and find out more about the thieves, mainly how many there are and a more exact time of their impending strike. My companion and I are rather new in town. Could you point us to a place known for sinister gatherings?"

"There's a tavern just a few streets up that's been known as a rogue hangout." The fact that Collin wanted to mingle with criminals, was worrisome to the shopkeeper. As such, he decided to send him to a semi-reputable business rather than a completely unreputable one. He might be able to find something, but he wouldn't be able to unload the key so easily, he thought.

"Worry not, your merchandise is in good hands," Collin stated leaving the establishment with the door closing just fast enough for him to miss seeing the merchant collapse on his counter.

"Alright, now we have both a place to sleep and a place to get information," Collin proudly declared, dangling the key for a moment before shoving it into one of his belt pouches.

"Nice work. It will be good to have a roof over our heads," Ella said smirking. "That beings said, the cobblestone did look pretty comfortable."

"Let's just get going," Collin muttered with the second face palm of the night.